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If you’re preparing for your migration from ShoreTel 14.2 to Mitel MiVoice Connect, there are a few areas that will need your attention prior to performing the 14.2 upgrades to Connect. We’ve put this guide together based on our experience helping customers during and after the upgrade process. As with any project, it’s important to understand the challenges you will face so you can be prepared and have the time and strategy in place to help your team adapt to the new Mitel MiVoice Connect platform.
After successfully completing hundreds of 14.2 to Connect migrations over the years, we hope our experience presented in this guide helps you properly prepare. If you are in need of a Mitel partner that has extensive ShoreTel experience with the Connect PBX, give us a call today and schedule a free consultation.
The Benefits of a Mitel Connect Upgrade
The move to Mitel Connect delivers a flexible cloud environment to help you better meet business objectives. Enhanced security, better collaboration tools and simplified remote access are just a few of the stand-out benefits. Others include:
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Connect to the MiVoice client without VPNs
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Secure remote connections, dynamic switching
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Integrates w/Mitel Connect Contact Center
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Mobility options via app or browser
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Advanced integrations w/productivity apps
What Does the ShoreTel 14.2 End of Life Mean to You?
Mitel acquired ShoreTel back in 2017 to serve as the basis of Mitel MiVoice Connect. It remained supported through December of 2019 with a September 30th, 2020 end of life date. Of course, that did not mean that equipment stopped working October 1st, 2020.
Many of our clients continue to use ShoreTel 14.2 to achieve the greatest possible ROI on their hardware investments. However, older equipment complicates a migration to Mitel MiVoice and may require physical upgrades to complete. The longer you wait, the more the migration will ultimately cost.
Hardware Requirements
Here are the minimum hardware requirements to successfully complete the upgrade:
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ShoreTel 14.2 GA30 version
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Windows 2012, 64bit or later HQ server
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Version 8 or 9 of Enterprise Contact Center
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ST Voice switches (for on prem)
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VMWare or Hyper-V switches (for virtual)
Additionally, Mitel Connect software is free and a successful upgrade will require an average of 2-6 hours of downtime. We recommend completing the migration over a weekend if you’re handling the migration internally. It would be ideal to have a Mitel Partner work with you to support you through the migration process.
Mitel MiVoice Connect Has a Different User Interface – Be Trained!
Upgrading to Mitel MiVoice Connect will provide your team a completely new client for office and contact center users to standardize the interface. Since the user interface is completely revamped, your employees may feel some initial frustration getting used to the UI.
Proper trainings are essential to streamline this process. Our team can provide custom group trainings for both administrators and users.
Understanding Complications from Security Certificates
Beyond the basic hardware requirements, is it also essential to know that security certificates are required for your HQ server and routers on MiVoice. This is where the majority of internal migrations get derailed since the certificates must be named properly and installed correctly. We advise that you make sure all your certificates are checked for compatibility and updated. This is something that is frequently overlooked and can cause numerous issues during the migration process.
Windows 2008 R2 and the ShoreTel 14.2 and Mitel MiVoice Connect Upgrade
Mitel Connect will not function on Windows 2008 R2 server; it must be upgraded to Windows 2012 or newer. It is possible to perform an in-place upgrade from 2008 R2 to 2012 R2. There are some circumstances where an in-place upgrade is not recommended; feel free to contact us directly for guidance. Additionally, if your current ShoreTel version is an earlier release of 14.2, you’ll need to upgrade to 14.2 GA30 before MiVoice Connect can be installed.
Upgrading to ST or Virtual Switches for the ShoreTel 14.2 Migration
All ShoreTel SG Full-Width Voice switches have reached their end of life while ShoreTel SG-24A and Half-Width switches have reached end of sale. None of these switches are currently compatible with a MiVoice Connect upgrade.
The recommended Mitel upgrades to your current switches can be found in the chart below.
| End of Life Phase |
End of Sales Phase |
Recommend Alternative |
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ST100A |
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SG-24A |
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Additionally, Mitel Connect also supports virtual IP phone and SIP trunks, which requires VMWare or Hyper-V virtual switches with a number of configuration options. Virtual switches also give you access to the Edge Gateway, which is a free upgrade that enables softphones within your network.
There is a lot to consider before upgrading switches; please contact us directly if you need help creating an effective migration plan.
Other Considerations about Migrating to Mitel MiVoice Connect
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While upgrades from ShoreTel 14.2 to Mitel Connect are often straightforward, it is important to diagnose and solve any existing 14.2 issues beforehand since these can become more complex problems afterwards.
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Likewise, your mission-critical 3rd party apps must also be taken into account since there will likely be unique steps involved with integrating them into Mitel Connect.
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Also consider the possibility of needing to upgrade to IP hardphones if your current devices haven’t been replaced in the past 10-15 years.
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Don’t buy new phones until you confirm they are compatible with Mitel MiVoice Connect. Check out this blog post here where we discuss this point in detail.
If you’re unsure if your organization is ready for the ShoreTel 14.2 to Mitel Connect migration or are searching for a Mitel/ShoreTel partner that can guide you, please reach out to us today.
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